A Common Human Ground: Universality and Particularity in a Multicultural WorldUniversity of Missouri Press, 07.11.2003 - 168 Seiten A great challenge of the twenty-first century is the danger of conflict between persons, peoples, and cultures, among and within societies. In A Common Human Ground, Claes Ryn explores the nature of this problem and sets forth a theory about what is necessary for peaceful relations to be possible. Many in the Western world trust in “democracy,” “capitalism,” “liberal tolerance,” “scientific progress,” or “general enlightenment” to handle this problem. Although each of these, properly defined, may contribute toward alleviating disputes, Ryn argues that the problem is much more complex and demanding than is usually recognized. He reasons that, most fundamentally, good relations among individuals and nations have moral and cultural preconditions. What can predispose them to mutual respect and peace? One Western philosophical tradition, for which Plato set the pattern, maintains that the only way to genuine unity is for historical diversity to yield to universality. The implication of this view for a multicultural world would be a peace that requires that cultural distinctiveness be effaced as far as possible and replaced with a universal culture. A very different Western philosophical tradition denies the existence of universality altogether. It is represented today by postmodernist multiculturalism—a view that leaves unanswered the question as to how conflict between diverse groups might be averted. Ryn questions both of these traditions, arguing for the potential union of universality and particularity. He contends that the two need not be enemies, but in fact need each other. Cultivating individual and national particularities is potentially compatible with strengthening and enriching our common humanity. This volume embraces the notion of universality, while at the same time historicizing it. Using wide-ranging examples, Ryn presents a firmly sustained and systematic argument centering on this central issue. His approach is interdisciplinary, discussing not only political ideas, but also fiction, drama, and other arts. Scholarly and philosophical, but not specialized, this book will appeal to general readers as well as intellectuals. |
Im Buch
Ergebnisse 1-5 von 26
Seite 7
... true, and the beautiful—was ahis- torical and was threatened and obscured by the historical flux. Today, at the other extreme, postmodernists, represented in America by Richard Rorty, deny the existence of enduring standards of goodness ...
... true, and the beautiful—was ahis- torical and was threatened and obscured by the historical flux. Today, at the other extreme, postmodernists, represented in America by Richard Rorty, deny the existence of enduring standards of goodness ...
Seite 14
... true faith shows itself in action. The East offers many examples of a very similar outlook. In Buddhism, especially that of the Hinayana variety, the right Way is the diligent working on or against self to extinguish needless worldly ...
... true faith shows itself in action. The East offers many examples of a very similar outlook. In Buddhism, especially that of the Hinayana variety, the right Way is the diligent working on or against self to extinguish needless worldly ...
Seite 17
... true that this kind of rationalism has put a deep imprint on the modern Western mind, it is also true that Rousseauistic romanticism and related cultural currents have had a profound influence on the moral sensibility and imagination of ...
... true that this kind of rationalism has put a deep imprint on the modern Western mind, it is also true that Rousseauistic romanticism and related cultural currents have had a profound influence on the moral sensibility and imagination of ...
Seite 21
... true, and the beautiful to be possible, that sense must be deeply rooted in the soil of a particular culture and be alive with the best that this culture has wrought. Only on the basis of intimate familiarity with the highest ...
... true, and the beautiful to be possible, that sense must be deeply rooted in the soil of a particular culture and be alive with the best that this culture has wrought. Only on the basis of intimate familiarity with the highest ...
Seite 25
... true, and the beautiful of- fers protection against premature certainty and rigidity and provides a source of correctives. Humanism simultaneously and indistinguishably cherishes the unity of purpose associated with life's highest ...
... true, and the beautiful of- fers protection against premature certainty and rigidity and provides a source of correctives. Humanism simultaneously and indistinguishably cherishes the unity of purpose associated with life's highest ...
Inhalt
5 | |
11 | |
20 | |
26 | |
Chapter Five | 36 |
Chapter | 46 |
Chapter Seven | 60 |
Chapter Nine | 99 |
Chapter | 118 |
Appendix | 135 |
Andere Ausgaben - Alle anzeigen
A Common Human Ground: Universality and Particularity in a Multicultural World Claes G. Ryn Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2003 |
A Common Human Ground: Universality and Particularity in a Multicultural World Claes G. Ryn Keine Leseprobe verfügbar - 2019 |
A Common Human Ground: Universality and Particularity in a Multicultural World Claes G. Ryn Keine Leseprobe verfügbar - 2003 |
Häufige Begriffe und Wortgruppen
abstract universalism achievements actual aesthetical Allan Bloom antihistoricist artistic assume awareness beauty become Beijing University Benedetto Croce century Chinese Christianity circumstances civilization Claes G common human ground concrete consciousness cosmopolitan creativity Croce cultivate deeply democracy develop discussion distinctive doctrine Edmund Burke effort elites Enlightenment epistemology ethical example experiential genuine harmony heritage higher potential historical particularity human existence human experience human nature ideas identity Imagination and Reason individuals insight intellectual intuition Irving Babbitt Jacobins kind lectures Leo Strauss life’s higher living man’s manifest mankind meaning modern moral and cultural multiculturalism National Humanities Institute neo-Jacobins one’s past peace philosophical Plato political possible postmodernism postmodernist reality realized recognize relations respect Richard Rorty Rousseau sense social standard Strauss superficial synthesis thinkers thinking thought tion today’s tradition transcendent truly truth understanding uniqueness universal values universality and particularity value-centered historicism versatile society view of human Western world